On the path to becoming stronger
by Sonya-Heather-DeVito
Summary: Luna has a special place for chocolate-chip pancakes in her heart. Luna/Rolf pairing. Canon divergence.


_A/N: Written for The Houses Competition Year 4 and IWSC Grammar School Challenge. I do not own Harry Potter; it solely belongs to J.K. Rowling!_

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_House: Ravenclaw_

_Year: Prefect_

_Category: Drabble_

_Prompt: [Food] Pancakes/Crepes_

_Word Count: 794 (As of Google docs)_

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_School: Ilvermorny_

_Year: 5_

_Category: Grammar School_

_Word Count: 794 __(As of Google docs)_

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Luna hummed as she moved around the kitchen, swiftly yet effortlessly, making breakfast and cleaning everything simultaneously. The twins were back for their Christmas holidays, and she'd decided to make something special for the two eleven-year-olds. Thus, the special preparation in her kitchen.

"Morning," Rolf's gruff voice made her look towards the doorway where her husband stood. Luna smiled as he came forward and kissed her sweetly in greeting.

"Good morning," she replied, chuckling lightly as he hugged her close and buried his face in her hair; Luna knew how much he loved the scent of her coconut shampoo.

"Your coffee is ready," she told him, going back to her cooking and taking out the bowls and other utensils that she needed.

Rolf went to the breakfast table, picking up the Daily Prophet and taking a long sip of the strong coffee. Only after the coffee worked it's magic and he was fully awake did he notice what his wife was upto.

Luna, though paid no mind to her husband - her mind was completely focused on the task at hand. She mixed all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, and milk, eggs and vanilla extract in a separate small bowl. She then added the butter and started whisking.

Rolf watched her silently. Luna was a great wife and the best mother he could have asked for his children. But she wasn't a good cook; she had said so herself. Cooking or baking never interested her. Yet, she was happily cooking today and somehow looked at peace.

"What are you making?" he asked as he saw her put a generous amount of chocolate chips in what looked like a pancake batter.

"Pancakes," Luna answered simply. Rolf's guess was correct, it seemed, but it still didn't add up.

"I thought you hated pancakes, Moon," Rolf said, and Luna smiled at the nickname he'd given her all those years ago.

"Oh no, I love pancakes. I just don't happen to eat them," she answered while putting the mixture aside for some time and getting the table ready; she knew the kids would be barging into the kitchen, as hungry as Hippogriffs, anytime soon.

"How come?" Rolf was confused now, though he was often confused by his wife's words. Luna looked at him, staring for a few seconds, but he didn't hesitate now as he used to at the start of their relationship.

"It takes a strong heart to love, but it takes an even stronger heart to continue to love after it's been hurt." There was the same distant look on her face wherein she was contemplating something. Her husband didn't understand an ounce of her cryptic words. Why was she using quotes?

Luna continued, "My mother used to make pancakes every Sunday for breakfast. It soon became our little ritual. I would refuse to eat anything but the chocolate-chip pancakes Mum made." There was a haunting smile covering her face as though she were totally lost in the memories of the past, and it worried him. In their decade-long marriage, she'd never once spoken about her mother so openly - there were just words here and there - but he could sense that this time, it wasdifferent_. _

Rolf stood up from his place at the table, and walked towards her, gently taking her hands in his. Luna didn't even glance at him.

"It was Sunday that day too. I woke up to find Mum dancing around the kitchen and making chocolate-chip pancakes for me. Daddy wasn't home that day. He'd gone to some work that I don't remember. We were having so much fun like always, when she suddenly said that she was going to the basement to carry out some sort of experiment." Tears were quickly filling her eyes and Rolf, not knowing what else to do, rubbed her arms and back. She'd been bottling this up in her heart for so long, and now it was finally coming out.

"I wanted to tell her that I _didn't _feel good about the experiment she was going to perform, wanted to stop her. I was too busy with my breakfast to voice my concerns. I did follow her to her workstation though, as I usually did, but I never saw the smoke rising or mum standing right in front of me to shield me," she swallowed hard before finishing, "I just remember the loud noise of the blast and her body being thrown violently into the wall."

"Oh, Moon!" Rolf enveloped her in the safety of his arms. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."

"No, it's not your fault. So yes, I'm making pancakes today because I want to become _stronger. _Though I don't think they'll be as delicious as hers."


End file.
